Despite fresh appeals for air help from Ukrainian leaders, US President Joe Biden has ruled out sending F-16 fighter planes to Ukraine.

Asked by a reporter on Monday if the US would be delivering the planes, Mr Biden said simply “no”.

His remarks came only one day after Germany’s Chancellor ruled out sending combat planes.

Ukraine has stated that the planes are required to take control of its airspace amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.

F-16 Fighting Falcons are widely regarded as one of the most dependable fighter planes in the world, and are deployed by countries such as Belgium and Pakistan.

They would represent a considerable advance over Ukraine’s existing Soviet-era fighter planes, which were built before the nation proclaimed independence from the USSR more than 30 years ago.

However, Mr. Biden has consistently turned down Ukraine’s request for the planes, preferring to focus on other areas of military support.

The United States stated last week that it will equip Kyiv with 31 Abrams tanks, with the United Kingdom and Germany also committing similar assistance.

Andrii Melnyk, Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister, praised the declaration but encouraged partners to form a “fighter aircraft coalition” to give Ukraine with Eurofighters, Tornados, French Rafales, and Swedish Gripen jets.

In an interview on Sunday, Germany’s chancellor said it “seemed silly” to debate delivering more military equipment to Ukraine after committing to provide the Leopard 2s.

Olaf Scholz also told the German daily Tagesspiegel that NATO was not at war with Russia and that “such an escalation” would not be tolerated.

Moscow has accused Nato of acting as an aggressor by proxy, and countries of the alliance, like the United States and Germany, have been hesitant to give military help, which may exacerbate the crisis.

Emmanuel Macron, the French President, repeated this position on Monday, stating that while “nothing is prohibited” when it comes to offering assistance to Ukraine, it must neither inflame the situation or limit France’s capacity to protect itself.

Other EU nations, like the Netherlands, have yet to confirm if they would send fighter planes.

Poland, on the other hand, has stated that it is willing to send fighter planes in coordination with Nato.

A Nigerian man residing in Manitoba, Canada, Chinenye Alozie who fabricated bank records and other papers to help would-be immigrants gain entrance to the country has been sentenced to two years in house arrest.

In accordance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the 35-year-old admitted to operating as an unlicensed immigration consultant and falsely portraying or omitting information on immigration applications.

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The violations, according to Winnipeg Free Press, concerned Alozie’s interactions with more than 60 foreign persons, the majority of whom were students, between 2014 and 2019.

Following information that Alozie had been marketing his services to international students online, the Canadian Border Services Agency became aware of him in late 2018.

Chinenye Alozie admitted to providing unlicensed immigration advice and omitting or falsifying information on immigration petitions.

At a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Crown attorney Matthew Sinclair informed Provincial Court Judge Stacy Cawley that Alozie “is neither a licensed immigration expert nor a lawyer.” He is not authorized to speak on behalf of individuals on their applications.

Alozie’s bank records revealed deposits of $90,000 in 2016 and $120,000 in 2017 from individuals who are thought to be foreign nationals, according to Sinclair.

52 deposits were discovered after an examination by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada to be from individuals requesting to enter Canada temporarily as students, laborers, or guests.

Records submitted to the border services organization revealed that between 2014 and 2018, Alozie paid 61 immigration applicants’ government fees using his own credit cards.